Gloucester Road station
Day six and the last day of London Fashion week AW. I opted to skip most of the catwalks today in order to shoot some pick up photos for Hello magazine of Andrew Majtenyi at the Canada House. Shooting the poorly lit catwalk was a complete photographic disaster and the photos I had of Andrew were few and far between not to mention there were not enough photos shot with a portrait orientation.
Panda bear
the rest of the BMX course
Canada House was kind enough to let us shoot in one of the more decadent rooms not readily available to the casual public. The room was like something out of a James Bond movie. It was an enormous space filled with giant paintings, mirrors and an incredibly large couch.
Andrew Majtenyi in Canada House
Andrew Majtenyi fashion designer
a large couch
With the re-shoot done, I raced over to the Hilton hotel where the Julien Macdonald catwalk was going to take place. I wanted to get there early to get a good spot. In previous seasons I managed to shoot the catwalk in precarious places that may have been deemed unsafe. This year I wanted to get a good spot for once.
A souvenir booth outside the tube.
Showing up early turned out to be a waste of time. I didn't have the correct photo pass. As there was no special photo pass mentioned on any of the fashion council lists I had I was a bit surprised then angry at the PR company. What a waste of time.
If there was one catwalk that I wanted to shoot in London, Julien Macdonald's was the one. It was a combination of all the glitzy clothing and that the last season I shot his catwalk he let all the photographers access to see his clothing (as long as we were recognized by the British Fashion Council that is).
The PR person made me wait around for an hour before saying I couldn't get in. What an ass. Deflated, I returned to the main fashion tent to photograph the new upcoming students and their work.
Simon doesn't like the reading?
Maybe this reading will be better.
Saint Martins shines with student work
I shot a few photos from the line up of Saint Martins. There were some interesting photos in the bunch. Overall my mind was reeling from the not being able to get into the Hilton catwalk. It was after the show that I met some people on their way to the Hilton.
I told them that you needed a photo pass to get in. Their response was "They always say you need a photo pass to get in. Are you coming.". There was nothing else for me to do. The Julien Macdonald show was Simon's last Fashion Week lighting masterpiece. I had to at least make an effort to try again.
There definitely is power in numbers. I huddled into the Hilton with a group of photographers, among the chaos of other spectators getting to their seats. Security not only let us in they showed us where to go. As it was the same place as the last few seasons I knew exactly where to stand. It was the same place no one else wanted as you had to be nimble and the pain would be excruciating. It was standing on the banister of the scaffolding on one foot, with one hand holding the camera and the other holding a vertical pipe.
The lighting for the Julien Macdonald show
I photographer tried to stand there but it was too uncomfortable and he was too short to shoot around another photographer in front of him. He gave up and moved into the pack nearer to the middle. I asked if I could use the spot and got a bunch of nods from the surrounding photographers. I was in place now I just had to wait for the catwalk to begin before I couldn't feel my limbs.
Julien Macdonald surrounded by confetti and models
Before I knew it confetti was flying through the air with a smiling fashion designer by the name of Julien Macdonald walking down the catwalk surrounded by this year's models, the show was over. My body ached and I slowly climbed down to the floor once the photographers under me packed up and left the pit.
Being a fashion designer can be fun
I felt a gush of that fashion magic. Despite the odds I had done it. I had shot the Julien Macdonald catwalk and it was fabulous! London Fashion Week was a success!
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